KHAIRY Jamaluddin has admitted that government leaders are not setting a good example in the nation’s battle against Covid-19 by breaching the standard operating procedure (SOP).

In an interview with Australia-based Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, he said news of government leaders breaching the SOP has not gone down well with the public, adding that leadership by example is important.

“I think on that score, we have made some errors there,” Khairy, the science, technology and innovation minister, was quoted as saying.

With the country placed under movement restrictions, several government political leaders were caught violating the SOP recently and faced public backlash on social media.

Among them were Kedah Menteri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor, Dewan Rakyat Deputy Speaker Mohd Rashid Hasnon, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mustapa Mohamed, and most recently Federal Territories Minister Annuar Musa.

“And also, after a while, it’s very difficult to get the public to adhere to the (SOP) simply because of fatigue. And I’m not blaming the public here.

“Because to observe these very, very unnatural limitations and restrictions on your behaviour or your movements (is difficult).

“Eventually, there will be a time where people just let their guard down,” Khairy added.

On June 3, a Facebook user alleged that she and her husband saw Sanusi at a car dealership in Bukit Mertajam, Penang, where he had test-driven a car.

The woman claimed that Sanusi, a PAS politician, had clearly violated the SOP when he was in a car with three passengers, and that the state assemblyman for Jeneri, was allegedly test-driving a blue Ford Raptor during the full lockdown phase of the movement-control order.

Meanwhile, on June 26, a picture was posted on social media showing Mustapa eating at a cafe in Jeli, Kelantan.

A picture was originally uploaded by the owner of the restaurant on Facebook who expressed his happiness over the Bersatu MP’s visit to his cafe but the post went viral, with many pointing out that Mustapa had clearly violated the SOP by eating in a shop when it was prohibited to do so during the lockdown.

On July 2, a video of Rashid eating durian in an orchard with the entourage of the Housing and Local Government Minister, Zuraida Kamaruddin, went viral.

Many were unhappy as the people seen in the clip did not practise physical distancing and some did not wear masks.

Rashid initially denied flouting the MCO SOP but later admitted and apologised. He said he was visiting durian farmers who were affected by the lockdown.

In the most recent case, Annuar violated the SOP by visiting former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and his wife Jeanne Abdullah last Saturday at their residence.

On Monday, it was confirmed that the Ketereh lawmaker received a fine from police amounting to RM2,000 for breaching Covid-19 SOP over the weekend. – July 15, 2021.